The 'What You Should Do But Won't' Mock Draft: Picks 1-10

 

Welcome one and all to the first 10 picks of the Play Action Post  'What You Should Do But Won't' mock draft 2010! What does this slightly too-long and not-very-catchy title mean exactly? Well, those of you with stellar memories may well remember our piece on the horrors of bad drafting  (and helpful tips on how to succeed ) last year, and with this new decade will no doubt come some more horrendous front office mistakes which we can all look back on and laugh at (probably mostly to do with Al Davis).

Every blogger in the known universe has a mock draft, but we thought it'd be more fun to do a mock draft of what we think each team should do, followed by what they actually will do. With a fairly deep draft class in a number of useful areas (Offensive tackle, D-line, cornerback), it should be a bumper year for ignoring your draft board and grabbing an overrated prospect or someone the fans want.

Nowhere in the world are there more false promises than in the NFL Draft's top 10 picks, so without further ado, here's how we see our sanctimonious first ten picks panning out.

With the first overall pick, the St. Louis Rams should select: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State

With the first overall pick, the St. Louis Rams will select: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma 

The Rams have been in dire straits for the best part of a decade, and any team that rebuilds their squad properly (case in point: Miami Dolphins) starts on the O-line. Yes, the Rams' QBs are shocking, but when they inevitably draft Sam Bradford he's going to spend the entire year on his back.

Not only would the pick of Okung solidify pass protection, but would let the Rams only actual playmaker – Steven Jackson – run behind some real-life blocking for a change! Woo-hoo indeed. Whilst a D-tackle would make some sense, especially given coach Steve Spagnuolo's defensive background, St. Louis has spent first-round picks on Chris Long and Adam Carriker in recent years, so it might be a stretch to take yet another D-lineman.

Okung is a complete tackle, comfortably the best in this draft, and he'd be a big boost for the Rams' offense. Of course, they won't take him, instead going for a new "face of the franchise": bad news for them, that face is about to take one hell of a pounding.

 

With the second overall pick, the Detroit Lions should select: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

With the second overall pick, the Detroit Lions will select: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

Holy Moly! The second pick and we've got a reasonable scenario (can this be true?). The new regime in Detroit made its glamour pick last year (NB to Rams: Lions picked a QB 1st overall last year, they're only picking 2nd the year after), and now will make a sensible one to solidify a position of need.

The last time the Lions had a defense was, we're told, sometime in the 1950s, and they've been getting gouged by the NFC North for years without a stout D-tackle. Suh is, for many, the best player in the draft, and will clog up the middle against the likes of A.Peterson, C.Taylor and M.Forte. Jim Schwartz worked wonders with Albert Haynesworth in Tennessee, and he'll make the PaP-approved pick come April 22nd.

 

With the third overall pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should select: Gerald McCoy,DT, Oklahoma

With the third overall pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will select: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

Surely not? Another sensible pick that looks like happening (don't worry the Redskins pick next), and another D-tackle comes off the board. Raheem Morris is a defensively-minded coach, and is bringing the Tampa 2 back to Tampa. For this, they need an "upfield penetrator" (surely the most innuendo-laden phrase in the NFL lexicon) in the interior defensive line, and McCoy fits the mould.

The Bucs also chose a QB in round one in '09 (NB to Rams: the Bucs chose a QB, are now picking higher in the draft than last year), and now need to make a selection to improve a porous defense. McCoy should, and probably will, be an excellent choice.

 

With the fourth overall pick, the Washington Redskins should select: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State

With the fourth overall pick, the Washington Redskins will select: Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame (or trade the farm to move to No.1 for Sam Bradford)

Just when you thought it was all getting a bit sensible, it's Dan Snyder to the rescue. The 'Skins are in DIRE need of offensive linemen, but as usual they'll make the glamour pick instead of the sensible one. It's clear the front office hates Jason Campbell (NB to Rams: a first round QB), so he's on a short leash. 

Clausen is a polished QB no doubt, but like Bradford is about to spend a lot of time in the ice bath. Chris Samuels' retirement leaves a gaping hole at left tackle, which Okung would fill, but Snyder loves big names (see Haynesworth, DeAngelo Hall, Adam Archuleta et al), so Clausen goes to Washington.

 

With the fifth overall pick, the Kansas City Chiefs should select: Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa

With the fifth overall pick, the Kansas City Chiefs will select: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma

Scott Pioli's a clever guy. He masterminded the Patriots' dynasty, drafted Tom Brady and traded for Wes Welker and Randy Moss. So it should come as no surprise that he makes a solid pick at number five. 

Okung is an excellent tackle, and by picking him the Chiefs can move Branden Albert to guard and Brian Waters to center: instantly, Matt Cassel gets a lot more help and the Chiefs step towards recreating what was once the best O-line in all of football. In the idealised draft, the Chiefs get Bulaga since Okung is gone, but with teams passing on him in our real-life mock, the Oklahoma State alumnus goes to KC.

 

With the sixth overall pick, the Seattle Seahawks should select: Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa

With the sixth overall pick, the Seattle Seahawks will select: C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

The Seahawks' improbable slide has continued to worsen the last few years. Walter Jones is at the end of his career and injury prone, and his absence means that Matt Hasselbeck gets smacked around like a nerd in gym class. Bulaga is a pro-ready technician who can instantly start if called upon, a worthy pick at six.

Unfortunately, Pete Carroll used to coach Reggie Bush. Spiller is definitely the best RB in this class, and has a similar skill set to Bush (speed, elusiveness, return ability), so we think the new coach in Seattle convinces the front office and reaches for a home-run hitter, when what the 'Hawks really need is protection for their pitcher.

 

With the seventh overall pick, the Cleveland Browns should select: Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

With the seventh overall pick, the Cleveland Browns will select: Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

Thank God for Mike Holmgren, eh Browns fans? A man who knows his stuff and makes sensible choices. Berry is, for our money, the best overall prospect in the 2010 draft, so the idea of getting him at seven must seem too good to be true. The Chiefs might nab him, but if not, Holmgren makes a great selection to shore up what's got to be one of the worst secondaries we've seen in years.

 

With the eighth overall pick, the Oakland Raiders should select: ANY OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

With the eighth overall pick, the Oakland Raiders will select: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida

Raider Nation must be crying into their facepaint at this notion, but it seems like a depressingly plausible choice. We all know that Oakland just drafts athletes who have track speed but no track record, and Pierre-Paul is the most freakish specimen this year.

A physically imposing edge rusher with oodles of speed (and backflipping skills ), he fits the Raiders' draft 'scheme' of grabbing a bust candidate (NB to Rams: JaMarcus Russell went  No. 1 overall to Oakland, has not panned out at all) who's really athletic. OT Bruce Campbell is a possibility because he's a height-weight-speed guy, but Pierre-Paul is such an Al Davis pick that it's impossible to avoid it.

 

With the ninth overall pick, the Buffalo Bills should select: Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa

With the ninth overall pick, the Buffalo Bills will select: They'll try to trade this for Donovan McNabb, or take an O-tackle if they keep it.

The Bills, you will probably recall, foolishly traded their left tackle to Philadelphia for a pittance last year. Now, Buffalo's in the hunt for Philly's QB Donovan McNabb , and they'll do their darndest to trade for him, probably using this pick as bait. The Bills do definitely need an answer at QB (NB to Rams: J.P. Losman was a first-rounder. Enough said), but their offensive line is truly dire.

If they keep the selection, we firmly believe they'll replace Jason Peters and won't make the mistake they did last year, passing on Michael Oher to draft, erm, Aaron Maybin. However, don't be shocked if the Iggles end up picking here instead. The wildcard is if they don't get McNabb and Clausen slides; new coach Chan Gailey would force the Clausen pick in that hypothetical.

 

With the tenth overall pick, the Jacksonville Jaguars should select: Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama

With the tenth overall pick, the Jacksonville Jaguars will select: Derrick Harvey  Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech

The Jags are probably in the top five worst drafters in the NFL. Among their first round misfires: Matt Jones, Reggie Williams and Byron Leftwich. Last year's No.8 selection, DE Derrick Harvey, already looks bust-tacular, and the Jags will no doubt have to waste another pick on the D-line.

We think they should take McClain, a thumping middle linebacker who can lead and replace the void left by Mike Peterson's acrimonious departure. Morgan isn't a horrible pick, but quite possibly another in a long line of bad Jags decisions. Only time will tell.

So there it is, hit us back in a couple of days for the next ten picks in the Play Action Post 2010 'What You Should Do But Won't' NFL Mock Draft. 

Original article can be found here